5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Stressful Times

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Stress is a killer. It can lead to inflammation throughout your body, triggering the onset of a number of less than dire desirable health conditions. It also attacks your emotions and mind, which can lead to neurological disorders, emotional eating, detachment from friends and family, anxiety and depression.

Unfortunately, stress happens to everyone. That means you need to know how to deal with stress effectively. Consider the following 5 practices the next time a stressful situation arises, and stress will have a minimal negative impact in your life.

1 – Meditate

Effective meditation has been proven for centuries to reduce stress and anxiety. There are plenty of free and paid meditation resources online to help you get started. Remember that you don't have to be in a particular physical environment or area to meditate. Your time investment can be minimal as well. Close your eyes, calm your mind, focus on your breathing and in just a few minutes you can feel the stress slipping away.

2 – Change Your Environment

If it is possible to leave your stressful situation, do so. Take a walk. Get outside in the sun. Take off your shoes and walk through a grassy field. Read a few pages of a book or watch a funny cat video. Sometimes your environment is causing your stress, and even just 5 or 10 minutes away can help your situation.

3 – Treat Your Body Right

Sometimes your stressful situation is your body's way of telling you that you are unhealthy. This means eating right, less fast food and processed food items, and more fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and berries. Get some exercise as well, at least 3 to 5 days a week. Make sure you're getting plenty of rest, and drinking lots of water.

4 – Create a Stress-Free Zone at Home and Work

As mentioned above, your environment can sometimes dictate your mood. Create a nurturing place at home, and at work if possible. Keep it simple, with as few objects and possessions as possible. Add pictures and music that soothe you and make you happy. This is a place where you can mentally reset your emotions, minimizing the impact of stress.

5 – Look at Things Objectively

Your stress is not always as full-blown as you think you is. Human beings sometimes have a tendency to over-exaggerate a situation. Look at your circumstances as if you were a nonjudgmental outsider. This allows you to identify the real cause of stress, and then you can act accordingly.